STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

These Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are perfect! So moist and fluffy! And they are an amazing copy of one my favorite cupcakes!

So I think I’ve mentioned it before, but in case I haven’t here’s my little secret: Even though I bake mostly from scratch these days, I grew up on box mixes and store bought cakes.

It’s true. I know there’s a camp of people who are totally box mix haters and then there’s a camp that’s all about them. I personally love them at times when I want something easy. And you will never convince me that Funfetti Cake with Rainbow Chip Icing isn’t the best cake ever. But I also love baking from scratch. I’ve always loved cake, but I loved it even more when I started having from-scratch cakes. There’s just so much variety and I love that.

That said, my favorite besides Funfetti was always a strawberry cake mix with cream cheese frosting. There’s just something about the strawberry cake mix flavor. I know some might think it’s artificial, but whatevs. I dig it.

So I set out to replicate the flavor of that cake mix, but from scratch. I’m pretty sure I hit the nail on the head. I’m in love with these cupcakes! I even put “love” on top of them. 🙂

INGREDIENTS:

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

• 3/4 cup (155g) sugar
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter (86g), room temperature
• 6 tbsp (90ml) sour cream
• 2 tsp strawberry extract
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups (163g) all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp (75ml) milk
• 3 tbsp (45ml) strawberry puree
• 3-4 drops pink food color

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, room temperature
• 6 tbsp (86g) butter, room temperature
• 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

TOPPERS

• 5 oz red Wilton Candy Melts
• sprinkles

ADDITIONAL TOOLS

• Piping bag
• Wilton #4 Icing tip
• Ateco #844 Icing tip
• Coupler
• Parchment paper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

2. Beat butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add sour cream and strawberry extract and mix until well combined.

4. Add egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined.

5. Combine dry ingredients in another bowl, then combine milk and strawberry puree in another bowl.

6. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

7. Stir in pink color.

8. Fill cupcake liners about halfway. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.

9. While cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.

10. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

11. Add vanilla extract and remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

12. To make the toppers, melt candy melts in a small bowl according to package instructions.

13. Pour melted candy into your piping bag fitted with Wilton tip #3 and pipe “love” onto parchment paper. Add a few sprinkles, then allow to dry and firm.

14. Pipe the cream cheese frosting onto the cupcakes using Ateco tip #844, then add toppers.

Source : www.lifeloveandsugar.com